Behavioral Psychology / Psicología Conductual, Vol. 27, Nº 2, 2019, pp.

275-293

FACTORIAL STRUCTURE AND VALIDITY OF THE EMOTIONAL

SKILLS AND COMPETENCES QUESTIONNAIRE (ESCQ) IN
SPANISH ADOLESCENTS1

Konstanze Schoeps1, Alicia Tamarit1, Inmaculada Montoya-Castilla1

and Vladimir Takšić2
1
University of Valencia (Spain); 2University of Rijeka (Croatia)

Abstract
A growing body of research focuses on the concept and assessment of
emotional competence due to the positive impact on positive youth development
such as well-being. The Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire (ESCQ)
has shown good psychometric properties in a cross-cultural setting. This study
provides further evidence of the factorial structure of ESCQ using a new short
version of 21 items. A total of 1300 students aged 12 to 15 years (M= 13.47,
SD= 1.09) completed the original version of the ESCQ translated into Spanish.
Data on emotional intelligence (TMMS-24), satisfaction with life (SWLS) and
positive and negative affects (SPANE) were collected. Factor analysis confirmed
the trifactorial structure of the reduced version (ESCQ-21), presenting adequate
reliability indexes for each factor. Results provided evidence for construct validity
and criterion validity. The ESCQ-21 factors were positively associated with the
dimensions of TMMS-24, and predict subjective well-being (SWLS and SPANE).
The ESCQ-21 appears to be an adequate evaluation tool to understand better
how emotional skills may affect adolescent’s subjective well-being.
KEY WORDS: emotional competence, subjective well-being, self-report,
adolescence.

Resumen
Un creciente cuerpo de investigación se centra en el concepto y la
evaluación de las competencias emocionales debido al impacto positivo en el
desarrollo de los jóvenes. El “Cuestionario de habilidades y competencias
emocionales” (ESCQ) ha mostrado buenas propiedades psicométricas en un
entorno intercultural. En el presente estudio se demuestra la estructura factorial
del ESCQ mediante una nueva versión reducida de 21 ítems. Participaron 1300
adolescentes entre 12 y 15 años (M= 13,47; DT= 1,09) que completaron la
versión original traducida al español del ESCQ. Se recogieron datos sobre

The research reported in this article was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy
and Competitiveness (PSI2013-43943-R, PSI2017-84005-R) and the University of Valencia (UV-INV-
PREDOC15-265738). We thank the participating students, parents, teaching and administrative staff of
the participating schools for their cooperation and support.
Correspondence: Inmaculada Montoya-Castilla, Dept. of Personality, Assessment and Psychological
Treatment, University of Valencia, Avenida Blasco Ibañez, 21, 46010 Valencia (Spain). E-mail:
inmaculada.montoya@uv.es

276 SCHOEPS, TAMARIT, MONTOYA-CASTILLA, AND TAKŠIĆ

inteligencia emocional (TMMS-24), satisfacción con la vida (SWLS) y los afectos

positivos y negativos (SPANE). Los análisis factoriales confirmaron la estructura
trifactorial de la versión reducida (ESCQ-21), presentando coeficientes de
fiabilidad adecuados para cada factor. Se obtuvieron evidencias de validez de
constructo y referida al criterio. Los factores del ESCQ-21 se asocian
positivamente con las dimensiones del TMMS y predicen el bienestar subjetivo
(SPANE y SWLS). El ESCQ-21 parece ser un instrumento de evaluación adecuado
para entender mejor cómo las habilidades emocionales pueden afectar el
bienestar subjetivo de los adolescentes.
PALABRAS CLAVE: competencia emocional, bienestar subjetivo, autoinforme,
adolescencia.

Introduction

Research on emotional competence (EC) in adolescence is still relevant given

the influence it has on positive youth development (Esnaola, Revuelta, Ros, &
Sarasa, 2017). Meta-analysis studies indicate that the development of emotional
skills may lead to subjective well-being and mental health, as well as good
academic performance (Martins, Ramalho, & Morin, 2010; Perera & DiGiacomo,
2013; Sánchez-Álvarez, Extremera, & Fernández-Berrocal, 2016). For this reason,
the interest in conceptualizing and measuring EC has been growing in recent
years. There is an on-going debate in literature about the distinction between EC
and emotional intelligence (EI), as both are closely related but conceptually
different. Furthermore, a considerable number of assessment tools have been
developed for both constructs (Lau & Wu, 2012). Thus, in this study, we will define
both concepts and briefly convey the conceptual differences between them. The
main purpose of this research is to provide evidence of the factorial structure and
validity of the Emotional Skills and Competencies Questionnaire (ESCQ), which has
shown good psychometric properties to assess EC in a cross-cultural setting (Faria,
et al., 2006).
Between the two, emotional “intelligence” is the more popular term in
psychological research and has been traditionally defined as the ability to perceive,
express, understand and manage emotions accurately (Mayer & Salovey, 1997).
Psychologists have studied the construct from different approaches, considering EI
either as a trait or an ability (Qualter, Gardner, Pope, Hutchinson, & Whiteley,
2012), or even using a mixed model (Bar-On, 2006). The ability model of
emotional intelligence emphasizes the stable quality of emotional abilities in the
individual (Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso, 2004).
However, the notion of emotional “competence” is gaining more attention,
especially in Developmental and Educational Psychology, as it refers to a group of
generic emotion-related skills (Garner, 2010). Saarni’s (2000) definition of EC
focuses on the emotional skills that are developed in the immediate social context
responding to personal needs and demands from their environment. The eight
skills proposed by Saarni can be summarized in three major components of
emotional competence to handle emotion-related situations: 1) identifying and
understating personal feelings and those of others; 2) expressing and

 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 277

communicating emotions; and 3) coping adaptively with negative emotional

responses (Buckley & Saarni, 2014).
The main difference between EC and EI is the approach of learning emotions
and how to handle them (Buckley, Storino, & Saarni, 2003). EC emphasizes the
skills, which a child develops through cultural and contextual socialization or may
be acquired through a learning process. In contrast, EI is considered an innate
ability or personality trait, which a child is born with. In this study we are using
Saarni’s definition of EC as the concept applies better to the educational setting,
where skills and abilities are developed, rather than underlying a general
intelligence that is inherited or in-born. Thus, individuals that are emotionally
competent are reacting to their emotional environment with skills, while
emotionally intelligent individual are responding with traits residing within
themselves (Lau & Wu, 2012).
The developmental outcomes of EI among adolescents have been studied
broadly in the national and international context, while the study of the impact of
EC has been neglected. For instance, research has shown the direct impact of EI on
bullying and victimization behaviours (Beltrán-Catalán, Zych, Ortega-Ruiz, &
Llorent, 2018; Peachey, Wenos, & Baller, 2017), self-esteem (Extremera, Quintana-
Orts, Mérida-López, & Rey, 2018), subjective well-being (Sánchez-Álvarez et al.,
2016; Serrano & Andreu, 2016), satisfaction with life (Reina & Oliva, 2015;
Sánchez-Álvarez, Extremera, & Fernández-Berrocal, 2015), positive and negative
affects (Di Fabio & Kenny, 2016; Megías, Gómez-Leal, Gutiérrez-Cobo, Cabello, &
Fernández-Berrocal, 2018), as well as academic performance (Fernández-Berrocal,
Ruiz-Aranda, Martín-Salguero, & Extremera, 2018), in both adolescent’s
(Fernández-Berrocal & Extremera, 2016) and adult‘s (Mérida-López, Extremera, &
Rey, 2017; Petrides et al., 2016) populations.
Fewer studies have focused on the influence of EC on adolescents’
developmental and well-being. There is some evidence that emotional competence
enhances self-esteem (Reina & Oliva, 2015), social awareness (Coelho, Marchante,
& Sousa, 2015), well-being (Ciarrochi & Scott, 2006), mental health (Mathews,
Koehn, Abtahi, & Kerns, 2016) and life-satisfaction (López-Cassá, Pérez-Escoda, &
Alegre, 2018). An intervention study showed that the development of emotional
competence effectively accounted for better peer relationships in the classroom by
reducing cyberbullying behaviour and improving the subjective well-being of
adolescents in a Spanish school setting (Schoeps, Villanueva, & Prado-Gascó,
2018). In addition, further studies have shown age and gender-related differences
in emotional competences. Females typically present a greater capacity to perceive
and understand emotions (Schoeps, Tamarit, & Montoya-Castilla, 2017; Takšić,
Mohorić, & Duran, 2009), whereas expression and emotional management do not
vary among genders (Costa & Faria, 2016); in both genders, it increases with age
(Esnaola et al., 2017).
Regarding the assessment of EC, measurements originally developed for EI
have been commonly used, assuming that these instruments are compatible for
studying EC. For instance, the Trait-Meta-Mood-Scale (TMMS), developed by
Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey and Palfai (1995) has been the measurement of
choice for psychologists to study emotional abilities and skills in a variety of

278 SCHOEPS, TAMARIT, MONTOYA-CASTILLA, AND TAKŠIĆ

populations in different cultural contexts (Martins et al., 2010; Sánchez-Álvarez et

al., 2016; Vergara, Alonso-Alberca, San-Juan, Aldás, & Vozmediano, 2015). Few
measures are available to assess EC in adolescents and their psychometric
properties is frequently criticized (Stewart-Brown & Edmunds, 2007). One of them
is the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire (ESCQ; Takšić et al., 2009),
which was originally validated in a sample of students 14 to 19 years old in the
Croatian context and was later validated in other cultural contexts mainly in adult
populations (Faria et al., 2006; Faria & Lima-Santos, 2012). One study of the
psychometric characteristics of adults was conducted using the Spanish version
(Faria et al., 2006). However, the existence of an adaptation with rigorous
validation in a young Spanish population is not known. Thus, adapting and
validating a reliable measurement of EC, would make an important contribution to
theory and developmental process, as well as a useful tool for educators and
professionals assessing the impact of social emotional prevention and intervention
in the classroom and in clinical settings (Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 2016).
This reviewed literature highlights the importance of EC for the development
of adolescent’s well-being and positive mental health (Esnaola et al., 2017). The
ESCQ provides a reliable measure of emotional skills, unlike other assessment tools
developed for EI, due to its specificity and the behavioural approach of the items.
For this reason, the study of the validity of ESCQ  including construct and
criterion validity  makes a meaningful contribution to this field of research. The
aim of the present study was to analyse the factorial structure of the ESCQ and
provide further evidence for validity in Spanish adolescents. Therefore, the internal
consistency was examined and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were
performed to provide evidence of criterion validity. Based on previous studies, EC is
expected to correlate positively with EI (convergent validity), and to explain part of
the variance of life satisfaction and positive and negative affects of adolescents
(incremental and predictive validity) (Di Fabio & Kenny, 2016; Gomez-Baya,
Mendoza, Paino, & De Matos, 2017); gender differences are expected, with higher
scores in females (Schoeps et al., 2017).

Method

Participants

For this study, a convenience sample of 1300 students was chosen. The
participants were adolescents, 12 to 15 years of age (M= 13.47, SD= 1.09), equally
distributed according to gender and age (53.50% girls, n= 321 for 12 year olds,
n= 341 for 13 year olds, n= 342 for 14 year olds, n= 296 for 15 year olds). In
addition, 46.39% of the participants were enrolled in public secondary schools
and 53.61% in four private schools with catholic affiliation; all ten education
centres were located in the Valencian Community, Spain.

 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 279

Instruments

a) Emotional Skills and Competencies Questionnaire (ESCQ; Takšić et al., 2009),

adapted to Spanish by Extremera and Fernández-Berrocal (Faria et al., 2006).
The original ESCQ is composed of 45 items with six alternative responses
ranging from 1 (never) to 6 (always) with higher scores indicating higher
emotional competence. The questionnaire is composed of three subscales: 1)
Perceive and understanding emotion (PU) assesses the ability to identify and
discriminate emotions in one’s own feelings, thoughts and behaviours; 2)
Express and label emotion (EL) measures the capacity to express one’s own
emotional states adequately and name them correctly; 3) Manage and
regulate emotion (MR) refers to the competence to effectively readjust one’s
own emotions to attain a desired outcome. The reliability of the subscales has
been adequate in previous studies (= .74-.86) (Faria et al., 2006).
b) Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS; Salovey et al., 1995), adapted to Spanish by
Fernández-Berrocal and Extremera (2004). This scale evaluates people’s meta-
knowledge about their emotional abilities and is composed of 24 items, with
five alternative responses (1= very much disagree; 5= very much agree). The
three subscales are attention to one’s feelings (Attention), emotional clarity
(Clarity) and mood repair (Repair). The internal consistency is good (= .86-
.90) (Velasco, Fernández, Páez, & Campos, 2006).
c) Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985),
Spanish version by Atienza, Pons, Balaguer, & García-Merita (2000). The SWLS
consists of five items with seven response alternatives ranging from 1 (strongly
disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The scale measures the cognitive component of
subjective well-being, thus higher scores indicate a more positive assessment
of feelings about one’s life. The internal consistency in the present study was
excellent (= .85), as has been confirmed by previous studies (Pavot & Diener,
2008).
d) Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE; Diener et al., 2010),
adapted to Spanish by Silva and Caetano (2013). The SPANE is a 12-item scale
that assesses desirable (positive affects, six items) and undesirable (negative
affects, six items) feelings on a Likert scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always). The
balance score was computed by subtracting negative affects from positive
affects. The scale has good psychometric properties, with Cronbach's 
ranging from .81 to .89 (Diener, 2010).

Procedure

In this study, we used a cross-sectional design to adapt and validate the ESCQ
scale. Before data collection, parents of participating students gave their written
consent and were informed about the purpose of the investigation. Participation in
the study was voluntary and anonymous. All students from 7th to 10th grade were
invited to participate in the study, although those without signed parent consent
didn’t complete the assessment. The data were collected in groups during school

280 SCHOEPS, TAMARIT, MONTOYA-CASTILLA, AND TAKŠIĆ

hours in the classrooms and took approximately 50 minutes. The order of the
questionnaires was randomly altered in two different versions of the survey. The
researchers received permission from the ethics committee of the University of
Valencia as well as from the management teams of the educational canters.
The adapted version of the ESCQ hasn’t been published neither did the
authors of the study described the followed procedure. Therefore, we considered
it necessary to carry out a rigorous adaptation of the ESCQ questionnaire,
following the guidelines of the International Test Commission (ITC) (Muñiz, Suárez-
Álvarez, Pedrosa, Fonseca-Pedrero, & García-Cueto, 2014). The first step was to
carry out independent translations by Spanish and English speakers, which were
then reviewed by an expert group composed of four qualified people with
knowledge of languages and Spanish (1) and Anglo-Saxon (2) culture, of the
evolutionary stage of adolescents (3) and of the evaluation processes themselves
(4). The consensus version was completed by a pilot sample of 350 adolescents,
with the purpose of detecting content or format problems, verifying that the
students understood the language, recording the time it took to respond, and
noting common uncertainties. Finally, the final version was administered to 1300
adolescents in the presence of the same two psychologists who had been
previously trained in the test procedure.

Data analysis

The psychometric properties of the 45 items of the original scale were

analyzed with the complete sample using SPSS V.22 (Allen, Bennett, & Heritage,
2014). For purposes of cross-validation, the sample was randomly divided into two
subsamples. Sub-sample 1 (n= 650) and sub-sample 2 (n= 650) were statistically
independent with composition equivalent by age (one-way ANOVA, p= .22) and
gender (² sample independence test, p= .12). With the first subsample,
exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out with the FACTOR 9.2 program
using the Unweighted Least-Squares (ULS) method, parallel analysis and direct
oblimin rotation (Lloret-Segura, Ferreres-Traver, Hernández-Baeza, & Tomás-
Marco, 2014), and with the second sample, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was
performed using MPlus 7.0 (Muthén & Muthén, 2017). Numbers of latent and
observed variables were taken into consideration to estimate the necessary sample
size to detect a large effect size (d= 0.50) with a power of 0.80 and an alpha or
probability level of .01. A-priori sample size calculator for structural equation
models (Soper, 2018) indicates a minimum sample size of 116 participants given
the structural complexity of the model; the sample size of the present study is
much higher (N= 1300). The fit of the model was estimated using four indices
recommended by Hu and Bentler (1999): chi-square test of model fit (²),
comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker Lewis index (TLI), and root mean square error of
approximation (RMSEA), which is an operationalization of the estimated effect size
dimension of model fit, specifically in the context of structural equation models
(Kelley & Preacher, 2012). Smaller RMSEA values indicate a better estimated effect
size dimension of the model fit, with values ≤ .08 considered adequate, while
higher IFC and TLI values indicate a better model fit, with values ≥ .09 considered

 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 281

adequate (MacCallum & Austin, 2000). After obtaining the appropriate

adjustments in the CFA, the reliability indexes of the new structure (FACTOR) were
recalculated. Cronbach's  greater than .70, average variance extracted (AVE)
levels above .50 and composite reliability coefficient (CRC) above .70 are
considered adequate (Valentini & Damásio, 2016).
The convergent validity was verified to provide empirical evidence on the
validity of the construct, and the incremental validity was verified as a method of
checking the validity in reference to the criterion. For this, the association with the
TMMS-24 was analyzed through Pearson's correlation coefficients (SPSS), and a
predictive model of SWLS and SPANE was constructed using hierarchical multiple
regressions analysis (Álvarez-García, Núñez, Barreiro-Collazo, & García, 2017).
Correlation and regression coefficients are used here as an indicator of the effect
size to quantify the strength of the relation with the criterion variable, emotional
competence (Hair, Black, Babin, & Anderson, 2010; Kelley & Preacher, 2012). In
addition, the square root of the AVE values from ESCQ subscales were calculated.
Such values higher than the correlation between pairs of factors or dimensions
indicate adequate indexes (Hussy, Schreier, & Echterhoff, 2013).
Finally, a multi-group analysis of structural equation models (multi-group
SEM) was carried out in four steps to verify factorial invariance which allows for
latent mean comparison (Brown, 2006). All results were reported following the
recommendations of the APA Working Group on Quantitative Research Reporting
Standards (Appelbaum et al., 2018).

Results

Reliability analysis

The reliability of the questionnaire’s original structure was calculated by the

mean, standard deviation, item-total correlation and Cronbach's  of each item as
well as the reliability coefficients of each scale. The total reliability of the scale is
high (Cronbach's = .94), and the coefficients AVE and CRC of the subscales
present adequate values (Cronbach's = .90; AVE= .46; CRC= .93 for PU,
Cronbach's = .89, AVC= .48, CRC= .93 for EL, and Cronbach's = .83, AVE=
.34, CRC= .89 for MR).

Factorial structure of the ESCQ

The factorial validity was verified through the exploratory and confirmatory
analyses of the original ESCQ scale (Table 1). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index (KMO=
.93) and Bartlett's sphericity test, ²= 4765.70; df= 210; p< .001, were adequate
(Gómez-Ortiz, Romera, Ortega-Ruiz, Cabello, & Fernández-Berrocal, 2016).
Exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) was performed with the FACTOR program in
the first subsample. The EFA fixed to three factors showed adequate adjustment
indexes (RMSEA= .03; GFI= .994). Confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) with the

282 SCHOEPS, TAMARIT, MONTOYA-CASTILLA, AND TAKŠIĆ

second subsample did not present a good fit, ² (df)= 5164.742 (945); RMSEA
(CI)= .083 (.081-.085); CFI= .47; TLI= .45.
Table 1
Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis of the original scale ESCQ-45

Item EFA
CFA
number F1 F2 F3
F1: Perceive and understanding emotions (PU)
3. .596 .016 .000 .579
6. .577 .018 .084 .634
9. .530 .137 .032 .623
12. .582 -.022 .116 .638
15. .288 .240 .016 .450
18. .651 .051 .002 .664
21. .805 .015 -.055 .694
24. .622 -.049 .088 .621
27. .458 .039 .041 .463
30. .633 .064 -.024 .638
33. .581 -.068 .075 .609
36. .602 .005 .054 .618
39. .665 -.002 -.000 .672
42. .715 -.095 -.020 .631
44. .324 .386 -.030 .548
F2: Express and label emotion (EL)
2. -.041 .101 .649 .661
5. .151 .012 .167 .273
8. .249 .249 .132 .478
11. .249 .249 .132 .771
14. .043 .019 .729 .718
17. -.111 .084 .735 .747
20. .064 -.011 .725 .762
23. .100 -.058 .745 .691
26. -.019 .103 .649 .382
29. .326 .148 .075 .475
32. .316 .123 .209 .485
35. .246 .150 .252 .342
38. .281 .070 .117 .782
41. -.027 -.084 .873 .734
F3: Manage and regulate emotion (MR)
1. -.109 .531 .084 .524
4. -.036 .506 .015 .499
7. .223 .302 .031 .507
10 .196 .483 -.056 .535
13. .170 -.065 .124 .222
16. .191 .162 .005 .335
19. .198 .411 .021 .599
22. .238 .233 -.054 .377
25. .123 .441 -.002 .492

 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 283

Item EFA
CFA
number F1 F2 F3
28. .263 .280 .114 .528
31. .360 .227 .040 .516
34. -.039 .690 .098 .639
37. -.029 .360 .187 .513
40. .013 .256 .220 .417
43. .015 .665 -.001 .613
45. .199 .151 .244 .485
Note: EFA= exploratory factor analysis; CFA= confirmatory factor analysis. Items and
dimensions are displayed according to the Spanish version ESCQ-45 (Faria et al., 2006). The
highest factor loads in each item are shown in bold.

The items that had the worst item-total correlation and factorial saturations
below .40 were eliminated; therefore, items 2, 5, 7, 8, 13, 15, 16, 22, 24, 25, 26,
27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 40, 42, 44 and 45 were eliminated. The final
structure (Figure 1), composed of 21 items, had good model fit indices, ² (df)=
552.165 (186); RMSEA (CI)= .055 (.05-.06); CFI= .93; TLI= .92, and good internal
consistency, which is reflected in Cronbach's  coefficients ranging from .79 to
.90., AVE levels between .40 and .58 and CRC levels between .82 and .90 (Table
2).

Table 2
Item and dimension reliability of the Spanish version ESCQ-21

New item
number Item M SD rjx
(original)
Perceive and understanding emotions (= .84 AVE= .44 CRC= .85)
When I meet an acquaintance, I immediately notice
1. (3) 4.40 1.22 .47
his/her mood.
When I see how someone feels, I usually know what
4. (6) 4.20 1.16 .50
has happened to him/her
I am able to tell the difference if my friend is sad or
7. (9) 4.81 1.13 .50
disappointed.
10. (12) I am able to detect my friend’s mood changes. 4.73 1.07 .50
If I observe a person in the presence of others, I can
13. (18) 4.19 1.14 .55
determine precisely his/her emotions.
I do not have difficulty to notice when somebody feels
16. (21) 4.68 1.04 .53
helpless.
19. (39) I notice when somebody feels down. 4.51 1.11 .49
Express and label emotion (= .90 AVE= .58 CRC= .90)
I am capable to list the emotions that I am currently
2. (11) 3.94 1.37 .64
experiencing.
5. (14) I am able to express my emotions well. 4.12 1.39 .59
8. (17) I am able to express how I feel. 4.22 1.38 .64
11. (20) I am capable to describe my present emotional state. 4.28 1.33 .65
14. (23) I can say that I know a lot about my emotional state. 4.42 1.31 .61

284 SCHOEPS, TAMARIT, MONTOYA-CASTILLA, AND TAKŠIĆ

New item
number Item M SD rjx
(original)
17. (38) I can easily name most of my feelings. 3.97 1.36 .65
20. (41) I can recognize most of my feelings. 4.22 1.28 .63
Manage and regulate emotion (= .79 AVE= .40 CRC= .82)
I am able to maintain a good mood even if something
3. (1) 4.33 1.25 .47
bad happens.
I can maintain a good mood, even when the people
6. (4) 4.43 1.24 .42
around me are in a bad mood.
When somebody praises me, I work with more
9. (10) 5.02 1.14 .45
enthusiasm.
When I am in a good mood, every problem seems
12. (19) 4.70 1.12 .51
soluble.
I try to control unpleasant emotions, and strengthen
15. (34) 4.41 1.28 .56
positive ones.
18. (37) There is nothing wrong with how I usually feel. 4.21 1.32 .44
21. (43) I try to keep up a good mood. 4.96 1.13 .51
Notes: CRC= composite reliability coefficients; AVE= average variance extracted. CRC acceptable ≥.70;
AVE acceptable ≥.40. Items and dimensions are displayed according to the Spanish version ESCQ-21
(Appendix). Item numbers of the Spanish version ESCQ-45 are shown in parentheses (Faria et al., 2016).

Validity analysis

With regard to convergent validity, the square root of the AVE from ESCQ
dimensions, with values higher than the correlation between pairs of factors (Table
3), indicating adequate indexes. The trifactorial structure of the ESCQ-21 shows
that factor loads were high and significant (Figure 1); that is, scale factors strongly
correlate with the latent variable to be evaluated, emotional competence.
Pearson’s correlations were conducted to compare the ESCQ-21 with another
instrument (TMMS) measuring emotional intelligence. The correlation coefficients
account for a medium-large effect size (r between .37 and .61), indicating that the
dimensions of both instruments measure similar but different concepts (Table 3).
A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to study the
association of ESCQ with subjective well-being. In the first step, demographic
variables were entered in order to control the impact of gender and age. In the
second step, the three subscale of TMMS-24 were entered, followed by a block of
the three emotional competencies (ESCQ-21) in the last step. The results of the
regression analysis were very similar for both of the measurements of subjective
well-being (SWLS and SPANE). In the third step, emotional competence triggered a
significant increase for both models controlled for the other variables, showing a
significant and unique contribution of emotional competence in explaining the
criteria. Regression coefficients (SWLS: R2= .32) and (SPANE: R2= .33) indicated a
significant effect on the linear relation between EC and the criterion variable, while
holding the demographic variables and EI constant (Table 4).

 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 285

Figure 1
Factorial structure of the Spanish version of the ESCQ-21

Note: Factor loadings are standardized. Items and dimensions are displayed according to the Spanish
version ESCQ-21 (Appendix). Each subscale score is the sum of the corresponding item scores.

286 SCHOEPS, TAMARIT, MONTOYA-CASTILLA, AND TAKŠIĆ

Table 3
Correlations among ESCQ-21 dimensions (intercorrelations), correlations with TMMS scales,
and square root of the AVE values in the total sample

Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1. PU (.67)
2. EL .45** (.76)
3. RM .50** .54** (.63)
4. AT .33** .29** .19** -
5. CL .37** .61** .42** .37** -
6. RE .30** .41** .61** .26** .47** -
7. SWLS .23** .40** .50** .07* .35** .42** -
8. AB .15** .36** .50** -.02 .32** .43** .49** -
7. Age -.04 -.09** -.13** .07* -.06* -.13** -.16** -.17**
Notes: PU= perceive and understanding emotions; EL= Express and label emotion; MR= manage and
regulate emotion; AT= attention; CL= clarity; RE= repair; SWLS= Satisfaction with Life Scale; AB= Affect
balance. AVE square root on the diagonal. *p< .05; **p< .01.

Table 4
Hierarchical multiple regression for variables predicting subjective well-being

Satisfaction with life Balance

Predictor
∆R 2
∆F  t ∆R2
∆F  t
Step 1 .03 18.13*** .05 33.61***
Sex .05 1.57 .15*** 5.39***
Age -.17 -5.81*** -.17*** -6.16***
Step 2 .20 98.52*** .20 111.08***
AT -.09 -3.05** -.17*** -6.21***
CL .25 7.90*** .20*** 7.02***
RE .32 10.57*** .36*** 12.78***
Step 3 .08 45.42*** .08 51.43***
PU -.06 -1.85 -.10*** -3.53***
EL .13 3.59** .11*** 3.39**
MR .34 9.31*** .35*** 10.32***
Total .32 64.79*** .33 77.80***
Notes: AT= attention; CL= clarity; RE= repair; PU= perceive and understanding emotions; EL= express
and label emotion; MR= manage and regulate emotion. *p< .05; **p< .01; ***p< .001.

Sex differences

The multi-group factorial invariance in the ESCQ-21 scales was calculated in

four steps (Brown, 2006): 1) perform the CFA separately for females and for
males, with the basic configuration of the model; 2) analyze the invariance in the

 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 287

groups separately (Model 0); 3) analyze the equivalence of factorial loadings

(Model 1); and 4) check the equivalence of intercepts (Model 2). The results (Table
5) confirm the partial scalar invariance of the ESCQ-21, which allows for latent
group mean comparisons. Comparisons between the latent means of both
genders indicate that females score significantly higher in PU (= -.43, p≤ .01) and
lower in MR (= .013, p= .04) than males.

Table 5
Analysis of factorial multigroup invariance across sexes

Models ² (df) SB∆² [CFI] ∆df [RMSEA] p (> ²)

Configural (model 0) 712.01 (372) [.96] [.03]
Loadings (model 1) 778.16 (393) 69.82 21 < .001
Loadings (model 1b) 739.15 (390) 25.98 20 . 17
Intercepts (model 2) 772.08 (408) 32.54 18 < .01
Intercepts (model 2b) 759.85 (406) 17.41 16 .36
Note: SB∆χ²= Satorra-Bentler scaled chi-square, df= degrees of freedom. CFI= Comparative fit index,
configural invariance only. RMSEA= Root-mean-square error of approximation, configural invariance
only.

Discussion

Given the importance of emotional skills and competence for children and
adolescent’s personal development and their positive influence on subjective well-
being and mental health (Esnaola et al., 2017; López-Cassá et al., 2018; Sánchez-
Álvarez et al., 2016), the aim of this research was to provide further evidence
about the reliability and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competencies
Questionnaire (ESCQ, Takšić et al., 2009) in Spanish adolescents. The ESCQ-21 has
good internal consistency, with reliability indexes similar to those of the original
scale. The exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses show that the three-
factor model best fits the sample data: 1) Perceive and understand emotion (PU) 2)
Express and label emotion (EL), and 3) Manage and regulate emotion (MR). These
results correspond to previous studies that propose a trifactorial structure of the
original scale (Faria, et al., 2006; Faria & Lima-Santos, 2012; Takšić et al., 2009).
Therefore, the abbreviated 21-item questionnaire adapted for the Spanish
population has successfully replicated the original structure. The ESCQ-21 model
shows good model fit indices because the factorial loads were high and significant
and similar to or even higher than those observed in previous validation studies in
other cultural contexts (Faria et al., 2006; Faria & Lima-Santos, 2012).
The results indicate that the ESCQ-21 meets the criteria for convergent,
predictive and incremental validity: 1) ESCQ-21 was positively related to EI; 2)
predicted subjective well-being; 3) showed a significant and unique contribution
for manage and regulate emotions. The convergent validity of the ESCQ-21 was
analyzed to provide evidence of construct validity. First, the 21 items correlate
significantly and highly with the latent variable they intend to evaluate. The
intercorrelations between the three scales of the ESCQ-21 have adequate values
(Hussy et al., 2013). Second, the results confirm the relationship between the
288 SCHOEPS, TAMARIT, MONTOYA-CASTILLA, AND TAKŠIĆ

emotional competence constructs (ESCQ) and EI (TMMS-24), demonstrating that

the dimensions of both scales measure similar concepts. These results provide
evidence that the ESCQ-21 is a valid measure of emotional abilities.
The incremental validity of the instrument was determined by establishing
causal relationships between emotional competences (ESCQ) and the affective and
cognitive components of subjective well-being evaluated by SPANE and SWLS.
Although all dimensions of the ESCQ-21 are significant predictors of subjective
well-being, the competence to manage and regulate emotions is the dimension
that best predicts affect and life satisfaction. The competence to perceive and
understand emotions has an inverse relationship with subjective well-being (Di
Fabio & Kenny, 2016; Gomez-Baya et al., 2017). Theses findings are consistent
with a recent review that suggests a greater effect of emotional management on
cognitive and affective well-being than the other emotional abilities (Fernández-
Berrocal & Extremera, 2016).
Finally, factorial invariance analyses indicate that the structure of the ESCQ-21
shows scalar invariance across gender groups. That is, it is certain that the contents
of the items represent the same concepts for both females and males, ruling out
the possibility that differences obtained are instrument-related. The gender
differences observed in the Spanish version are similar to those of the original scale
(Takšić et al., 2009). The results coincide with previous studies that have shown
that females score better in perception and comprehension of emotions, while
males score better in managing and regulating emotions (Schoeps et al., 2017).
We highlight the original and novel character of this study by offering a
psychometric investigation of a new version of the ESCQ reduced to 21 items that
was adapted and validated for use in an adolescent Spanish population. The
ESCQ-21 presents good reliability and validity indexes, using a large sample that
guarantees a large effect size and power of the statistical results. Therefore, it can
be considered an adequate evaluation tool for emotional competences. The brevity
of the scale also facilitates its application and correction in both school and clinical
context.
However, future research should continue the study of reliability by analysing
the temporal stability of the data using a longitudinal design. In addition, it would
be interesting to study into depth the relationship of ESCQ-21 with other
constructs variables related to adolescent’s subjective well-being and mental health
such as depressive symptoms and perceived stress (Gomez-Baya et al., 2017;
Serrano & Andreu, 2016). Thus, both clinical professionals as well as teaching staff
would be able to identify students with difficulties to cope with day-to-day
problems and teenage patients who are more vulnerable to develop emotional and
relational problems (Extremera et al., 2018).
In summary, the ESCQ-21 is a valid and reliable self-report measurement of
how Spanish adolescents perceive and identify, understand and label, manage and
regulate emotional stimuli. Thus, this questionnaire can serve as a suitable tool for
researchers and professionals from different disciplines to evaluate emotional
abilities and compare their results with those of studies conducted in different
cultures and countries, expanding scientific knowledge internationally.
Furthermore, the ESCQ-21 could be useful to assess the effects of social and

 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 289

emotional learning programs, which aim to improve student’s emotional and social
abilities.

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RECEIVED: June 4, 2018

ACCEPTED: November 15, 2018
 Factorial structure and validity of the Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire 293

Appendix

Cuestionario de habilidades y competencias emocionales (ESCQ-21)

Por favor, lea cada una de las afirmaciones que se presentan a continuación y responda de
forma inmediata sin emplear mucho tiempo en cada respuesta. No hay respuestas correctas
ni incorrectas, simplemente señala la respuesta que más se aproxime a tu preferencia,
usando la siguiente escala.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Algunas
Nunca Raramente Pocas veces Frecuentemente Siempre
veces

1. Cuando me encuentro alguien conocido, me doy cuenta

1 2 3 4 5 6
inmediatamente de su estado de ánimo.
2. Soy capaz de enumerar las emociones que estoy
1 2 3 4 5 6
experimentando ahora mismo.
3. Soy capaz de mantener el buen humor aunque pase algo
1 2 3 4 5 6
malo.
4. Cuando veo cómo se siente alguien, normalmente sé lo
1 2 3 4 5 6
que le ha pasado.
5. Soy capaz de expresar bien mis emociones. 1 2 3 4 5 6
6. Puedo mantener el buen humor, aunque las personas de mi
1 2 3 4 5 6
alrededor estén de mal humor.
7. Soy capaz de diferenciar si mi amigo/a está triste o
1 2 3 4 5 6
decepcionado/a.
8. Soy capaz de expresar cómo me siento. 1 2 3 4 5 6
9. Cuando alguien me alaba, puedo actuar con más
1 2 3 4 5 6
entusiasmo.
10. Soy capaz de detectar los cambios de humor en mis
1 2 3 4 5 6
amigos/as.
11. Soy capaz de describir mi estado emocional actual. 1 2 3 4 5 6
12. Cuando estoy de buen humor, todos los problemas
1 2 3 4 5 6
parecen tener solución.
13. Al observar a una persona cuando está con otras, puedo
1 2 3 4 5 6
determinar de forma precisa sus emociones.
14. Puedo afirmar que conozco bien mi estado emocional
1 2 3 4 5 6
actual.
15. Intento controlar mis emociones desagradables y potenciar
1 2 3 4 5 6
las positivas.
16. Tengo facilidad para darme cuenta si una persona se siente
1 2 3 4 5 6
incapaz.
17. Puedo nombrar fácilmente la mayoría de mis sentimientos. 1 2 3 4 5 6
18. No hay nada malo en cómo me siento normalmente. 1 2 3 4 5 6
19. Percibo cuando alguien se siente desanimado. 1 2 3 4 5 6
20. Puedo reconocer la mayoría de mis sentimientos. 1 2 3 4 5 6
21. Intento mantener el buen humor. 1 2 3 4 5 6